X r railway-crossing gate



4 Sheets-Sheet l.

Patented Aug. 9, 1898.

C. R. WOUDWARD.

RAILWAY CROSSING GATE.

( Applicaticn filed June 16, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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m: warms PEYERS ca. VHOYO-LITHQ, wAsmNuToNfn c WITNESSES PatentedAug. 9, l898 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

C. R. WOODWARD.

RAILWAY CROSSING GATE.

(Application filed June 16, 1897.)

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C. R. WUODWARD.

RAILWAY CROSSING GATE.

(Application filed June 16, 1897.)

(N1; Model.)

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\\\\\\\\\\\\\Y @Wmmm\\mmwmm No. 608,820. Patented Aug. 9, I898. C. B. WOODWARD. RAILWAY CROSSING GATE.

(Application filed June 18, 1897.)

4 Sheets$heet 4.

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.7 7 of Fig. 6. and releasing mechanism employed, showing .neetion with the gate.

itinrrnn dramas .arienr rerun.

CHARLES R. WVOODWVARD, CAMPBELL, NElV YORK.

RAILAY CROSSTENG GATE.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters ilatent No. 608,820, dated August 9, 1898-. Application filed June 18, 1897.: Serial No. 640,983. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that 1, CHARLES RWOODWARD, of Campbell, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Railway-Crossing Gate, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. i l p This invention relates to safety-gates for railway-crossings; and the object is to provide a simple mechanical means for opening and closing a gate, the said means comprisin g a part carried by'the locomotive of a train whereby the mechanism is automatically operated, thus dispensing with the employment of a gateman, as is usually required.

I will describe arailway-erossing gate embodying my invention, and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a railway, showing a gate-operating mechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view and partial section thereof. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4. of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 8. Fig. 6 is a partial plan and partial sect-ion of a gate-shifting mechanism employed. Fig. 7 is a section on the line Fig. 8 is a section of aloeking the parts in one position. Fig. 9 is a section thereof, showing the parts in another position. Fig. 10 is a section on the line 10 10 of Fig. 11 and a partial elevation, drawn on an enlarged scale, showing the immediate eon- Fig. 11 is a section on the line 11 11 of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a sec tion on the line 12 12 of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a plan View of a part carried by a locomotive or other part of a train for operating the shifting mechanism and also for operating the locking mechanism, and Fig. 11 is a section on the line 14 14 of Fig. 13.

Arranged at one side of the track, at-a suitable distance from a crossing, is a casing 1, on the top of which is mounted to slide longitudinally of the track a shifting-bar 2, hav- 18 by means of a spring ing an upwardly-extendedlug 3. This shift ing-bar is mounted to slide in guideways 4,. and at the forward portion of the guideways are lugs 5. These lugs 5 are inclined from the center downward to each end, and the central portion is somewhat higher than the lug 3, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. From the rear end of the bar 2 a cable 6 extends around and has its ends connected to a grooved pulley 7, mounted on a shaft 8, having bearings in the side walls of the casing 1. Preferably a spring 9 will be arranged in the cable 6, so as to eompensate for thesudden shock of the part carried .by an engine or other part of a train striking the lug 3. On the shaft 8 is mounted abrake and gate-raising pulley 10, from which a cable 11 extends downward into a tube 12, which projects a suitable distance into the ground. Within the tube 12 the cable 11 is provided with weights 13, designed to. be a substantial counterbalance for the gatesarranged at opposite sides of the track at the crossing. Movable on the upper end of the tube 12 is a cap 14, having an opening through its top sufficiently large for the passage of the cable 11, but somewhat smaller than the diameter of the weights 13, so that in their upward movement the top or upper portion of the weights will engage with said cap and raise it sufficiently to press a pivoted brake-bar 15 into engagement with the pulley 10. This brake-bar is intended to stop the momentum of the shaft 8 and the pulleys thereon after the gates shall have been completely closed.

From a pulley 16 on the shaft 8 a cable 17 extends to aeonneetion with a locking-bar 18, arranged in a casing 19, placedat the side of the track near the pivoted end of the gates. Arranged in the cable 17 may be metal rods 21, engaged by a turnbuckle 22, so that the cable may be adjusted as to its length,if required. The bar 18is mounted to slide in a boxing 23, pivoted in the casing 19 and held yieldingly upward against the bar The bottom wall of this boxing at its rear end is providedwith an upward projection 25,designed to engage in a notch 26 formed in the underside of the bar 18.

engage on the upper edge of the side portions of the boxing 23.

From the forward end of the bar 18 a cable 29 extends to a connection with a pulley 30,

mounted on a shaft 31, having bearings in the casing 19, and on this shaft 31 is also mounted a grooved wheel 32, around which a cable 33 extends. This cable is attached at one end to the wheel 02 and at its free end is provided with a weight 34, which is considerably lighter than the weights 13. This weight 34 is designed to move the bar 18 forward to its locking position, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 8.

The shaft 31 extends through a gate-casing 35, arranged at the sides of the track and in which the inner end of the gate 36 is jour naled. This gate 36 is of the bar form, and

it may be provided near its pivotal point with a counterbalance 37, mounted to slide on a rod 38, secured to the gate. On the portion of.

the shaft 31 within the casin g 35 is a grooved wheel 39, from which a cable 40 extends over a pulley i1, journaled in an arm extended in-; ward from the pivoted end of the gate and at The other end of the: cable 40 .is connected to a wheel similar to the. wheel 30, designed to operate the parts when.

an. angle to said gate.

a train is approaching from the direction opposite to that indicated in Fig. 1.

Secured to the outer side of the casing 35 is an alarm-gong i2, and on the shaft 43, car-' rying the gate 36, is mounted a disk 44, hav-j ing a series of pins 45, ext-ended through an arc slot i6 in a wall of the casing and designed to engage against the shorter arm of a hammer-lever l-7, pivoted to the casin g. the gate is lowering it is obvious that this gong will sound.

ment of the gate.

vention.

ing. The dog 53 and the spring 56 will pre- The pins i5 may be mounted to; trip in such manner as to pass the short arm of the ham mer-lever during the upward move- This bell mechanism, how ever, may be arranged in any other desired. manner, as it is not broadly a part of my in-= vent the gate from falling too rapidly, and therefore maybe termed retarding devices.

I will now describe means for moving and holding the dog 53 in yielding engagement with the wheel 52. Mounted to swing in the casing and adapted to engage with an extended arm 57 of the dog 53 is a weight-bar 58, and attached to the lower end of this weight-bar 58, by means of a link 59, is a supplemental swinging weight-bar 60. This supplemental weight-bar bears upon a pulley 61, having hearings in a yoke 62, having its upper end pivotally attached to a swinging bar 03. From a wheel (35 on the shaft 31 a cable 6i extends to a wheel opposite the wheel 05, mounted on the shaft 31, and this cable ongages overa pulley on the yoke (32.

Of course the gates at opposite sides of the track are designed to rise and fall in unison. I will now describe the means for causing the movement of the gate 36 opposite the gate 36. The shaft 31 extends into a boxing (56, arranged between the casing 19 and one of the track-rails, and on' the shaft 31, within the boxing 60, is a double pulley 67, from which cables 68 and 69 extend to a double pulley 70, mounted on a shaft 71, which is extended across and underneath the rails of the track. The cables 68 and 69 will be arranged in opposite directions one with relation to the other, as plainly indicated in Fig. On the opposite side of the track is a boxing '72, similar to the boxing 66, and the shaft '71 extends into this boxing 72, where it is provided with a double pulley 7 3, from which cables 74 and 7 5 extend to a double pulley 76, mounted on. the shaft 77 of the gate 36.

I will now describe a means carried by an engine for causing the operation of the parts to close and lower the gates. Secured in any suitable manner to the bottom of the cowcatcher m of an engine is a platform consisting of an upper section 78 and a lower section 79. Mounted to swing between these sections, and near the front and rear edges thereof, are bars 80 and 81. These bars are fulcrunied at their centers, and two of their diagonally opposite ends are connected pivotally by a cross-bar 82. Arranged centrally between the bars 80 and S1 and extended parallel therewith is a tappet-carrying bar 83. From the end of the bar 80 opposite that engaged by the bar 82 a Connected to the gate 36 is a cable -18, which extends over a pulley 4:9 in the casing 35 and; engages with a pulley 50, mounted on a shaft? having bearings in a bracket 51, supported in the casing, and on this shaft is mounted a ratchet-wheel 52, designed to be engaged with 5 a dog 53, having pivotal connection with the? bracket 51 in such manner as to swing in a horizontal plane. Also mounted on this shaft 5 is a pulley 54, from which a cable 55 extends-f to a connection with a spring 56, the opposite? end of said spring being secured to the caspivoted link Set extends to a connection with the tappet-carrying bar 83, and from the obliquely opposite end of the bar 81 a link 85 extends to a pivoted connection with the bar 83. The outer end of the bar 83 is provided with a stud 80, on which tappet-rollers S7, 88, and S!) are mounted. The tappet-rollcr 87 is designed to engage with the projection 3 on the shifting-bar 2, and the rollers 88 and 89 are designed to engage with the trippingblock 27 that is either one of said rollers 88 or 89 will engage with said block, this de pending somewhat on the swaying or lateral 'tionary manner.

movement of the engine. The bar 83 is held yieldingly in position by means of springs 90 and 01, connected at one end, respectively, to the bars 80 and 81 and at the opposite end to the cow-catcher or other fixed support.

I will now describe the operation. It is to be understood that the mechanism described is arranged for opening the gate when a train is moving in one direction, suchas indicated by the cow-catcher in Fig. 1; but the parts will be duplicated for operation by a train moving in the opposite direction, and these duplicate parts need not be further referred to. As a train approaches a crossing the tappet-roller 87 will engage with the lug or projection 3 on the shifting-bar 2. This will cause said shifting-bar to be moved longitudinally forward until the roller 87 reaches the highest point on the inclines 5. Then said roller will be raised above and release the lug 3. The platform carrying the bar 83 will be arranged to swing slightly in a vertical direction to allowfor the raising of the roller by the inclines. During this movement the locking-bar 18 will be moved to its locking position with the boxing 23, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8, by means of the weight 34, and as the wheel supporting the weight 34: is mounted on the shaft 31 the said shaft 31 will allow the cable 40 to unwind, so that the gate may move downward to its closing position, as indicated in Fig. 10. During this movement the shaft opposite and corresponding to the shaft 31 will remain stationary, so as to hold one end of the cable 40 in a sta- As the shaft 31 rotates to lower the gate the cable 64 will unwind and allow the yoke 62 to swing rearward and allow the weight-bar 58 to engage against the extended arm of the dog 53, forcing said dog into yielding engagement with the ratchetwheel 52, and thus preventing the gate from moving too rapidly downward. As the engine reaches the crossing one of the rollers 88 or 89 will engage with the tripping-block 27 and by rocking it upon its fulcrum will force the boxing 23 out of its looking engagement with the bar 18, and then the parts will be moved in the opposite direction by means of the weight 13, causing the gate to open.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A railway-crossing gate and operating devices, comprising a swinging gate, a longitudinally-movable bar at a point distant from the crossing, adapted to be shifted by a tappet carried by a locomotive, means for liftin g said tappet from connection with the shif ing-bar, a weight for moving the bar in the opposite direction, a connection between said bar and the gate, a longitudinally-movable locking-bar in said connection, a boxing in which said locking-bar is movable having a projection to engage in a notch in said bar,

and a f ulcrum-bloek adapted to be engaged by the tappet on the locomotive to move the boxing out of locking engagement with the bar, substantially as specified.

2. A railway-crossing gate and operating devices, comprising a swinging gate, a longitudinally-movable bar having an upwardlyextended lug, adapted to be operated by a tappet carried by a locomotive, an inclined plane for lifting the tappet out of engagement with the lug, a shaft rearward of the shifting-bar, a wheel on said shaft, a cable extended from the shifting bar over said wheel, another wheel on said shaft, a cable on said other wheel, a weight on said cable, a tube in which said weight is movable, a retarding-lever operated by the upward movement of said weight for retarding the lever, a third wheel on said shaft, and connections between said third wheel and the gate, substantially as specified.

3. A railway-crossing gate and operating devices, comprising a swinging gate, a shifting-bar operated by a train, connections between said shifting-bar and the gate, locking and releasing device in said connection, comprising a longitu dinallymovable lockingbar having a notch in its under side, a springpressed boxing in which said locking-bar is movable, the said boxing having an upward extension to engage in a notch in the bar,

means operated by a train for moving the boxing out of engagement with the lockingbar, a shaft, a wheel on said shaft from which a cable extends to the locking-bar, and another wheel on said shaft from which a cable extends to aweight, substantially as specified.

4. A railway-crossing gate and operating devices, comprising a swinging gate having its fulcrum-point within a casing at the side of the track, a shaft mounted in said casing, a cable connection between the gate and a wheel on said shaft, a ratchet-wheel on said shaft, a dog movable into engagement with the ratchet-wheel, and a weight-lever released upon a downward movement of the gate to hold said dog yieldingly in engagement with the ratchet-wheel, substantially as specified.

5. A railway-crossing gate and operating devices, comprising a vertically swinging gate-bar, a casing in which said gate-bar is pivotally mounted, a shaft in said casing, a pulley on said shaft, a cable extended from said pulley around a pulley mounted on. an inward extension of the gate, means actuated by a train for controlling the rotation of said shaft, and a retarding means for the gate ar ranged within the casing, substantially as specified.

6. A railway-crossing gate and operating devices, comprising a vertically swinging gate-bar, a casing in which said gate-bar is pivoted, a block operated by the shaft of said gate-bar, means operated at a distance from the crossing for swinging said gate-=bar, a ratchetwheel, a shaft on which said ratchet= IIO wheel is mounted, a grooved wheel on said shaft, a cable connection between said grooved wheel and the gate, a dog for engaging the said ratchet-Wheel, a swinging weight-bar for holding said dog in yielding engagement with the ratchet-wheel, a swinging connection on the lower end of said bar, a yoke with which said swinging connection engages, a swing- 

